The Lady and the Genius.

1998

(Spencer p.o.v)

I was going through Rivers videotapes that she has to find something to watch.
"You know, I never realised how many family videos you have. We should go through them sometime." I told as I looked over at her to see she was moving her snow globes around.
"I haven't even watched them in so long..... I wouldn't even know where to start. I think I'm driving a car with De in one of them."
"How'd that go?"
"I was 7. Family was impressed with how well I did.... also worried how I was doing it since, I had to be on my tippy toes."
"So what's with the snow globes? I don't think I've asked about them before."
"They are Christmas gifts I get." She told as I saw her place a new one up.
I saw another tape that only had 1998 Christmas written on it.
'Wonder what this is?'
"What was Christmas like in 1998?"
"First Christmas I spent with the boys. It was a great Christmas I must say."
I placed the tape in and sat on the couch before it began to play.

As soon as it began, it showed a grand piano with two people playing keys randomly. Once I realised who the girl was my eyes went slightly wide as a small smile grew on my face.
"So, these keys make this noise and then these make this." A young River told
"So if by what you've said these should sound like this." Someone I didn't recognise told before playing a few keys.
"Yeah! Your doing pretty good."
"I think I prefer listening to piano then playing."
"Everyone is different in their own ways. What is it that I always say?"
"If everyone was the exact same then we would stop evolving and in your case want to punch everyone."
"Exactly." She told before looking up into the camera. "Timothy! How long have you three been recording this?"
"A few minutes. Your getting the hang on the piano well." Tim told
"I'm a quick learner."
"Your only learning it cause Zack likes piano." A young Vix told as the camera moved to show him play a few cords on his Bass.
"Gives me something to do in between classes." She told as she gave a shrug.
"Also cause he is your favourite!" Joe exclaimed as he twirled his drum sticks.
"That's because I'm smarter then you three." He told as he held a smug look towards them
"You are all my favourite!"
"Also cute as fuck!" The three boys exclaimed.
"You say I'm cute yet no girls want to talk to me."
"What you on about? River talks to you."
"Yes but I believe he means in a dating manner Timothy. We are just friends.... no matter how much Marine wants us to."
"Also with people thinking we are dating." The person they called Zack told.
"Yeah if I'm gonna date someone, it will be someone who is nice."
"So all of us." They all told her making them all laugh.
"Ha Ha. You four are idiots."
"Well anyway, I gotta do this for my media class." Tim told
"You have to secretly record your friends?" Zack asked making River laugh.
"No. We have to film what makes us who we are. And my three friends and my best friend, which let us be honest.... River is all our best friends."
"And Zack is hers." Vix and Joe told.
"I will neither confirm nor deny that fact."
"She's known us longer yet he's the best friend." Joe told
"Let's be real here." Vix began. "He's fucken adorable, he is also all our best friends."
"Should I be worried that they call me cute and not handsome?" He asked as he looked towards River.
"They call me hot as fuck all the time. Also you are cute." She told as he grabbed his face and shook it a few times making him smile.
"Anyway. I wouldn't truly be me if it wasn't for my best friends in the world. So I'm recording our dynamic and what we all think of one another."
"That's simple. River is the baby and what brought us all together, Victor is the one with the most common sense since if you convince River to do anything she can convince me, Jonathan is classified as the dumb one, you are the jokester of the group and I'm the weird one." Zack explained.
"Your our weirdo sweetie." River told
"Yes. But that isn't what made us who we are. What made us who we are is through our experiences. Like the year of 1990 for River. Or my parents deaths and me moving in with Victor and his family. Jonathan fell out of that tree when he was 10.... holy shit maybe that's why your dumb." He told making them laugh.
"Na I think I've always been like this."
"Or how Victor originally was planning to be an english teacher."
"God could you imagine him as a teacher." Joe told
"I think if one of us was to be a teacher it's to be River." Zack told
"She's been doing good teaching you piano." Vix told.
"Especially since I'm still learning it."
"Think about it." He told as he set the camera down on the piano. "We all work so well together because of our experiences. River may be the baby but she's experienced the most hurt out of us. Yes me and her both lost our parents, but who else can lose her brother all the same year."
"Don't forget what Sniper did two weeks before she had met Zack." Joe added
"Your uncle Marine also said you were betraying the family if you went to the academy." Vix added.
"Also the calls from the Moon institution." Zack added.
"My family is a complete mess. No one needs to remind me of that."
"But it's helped create one of the most caring and kindest people out there. And Victor learnt of his love for playing guitar, especially Bass. Who would have thunked it! And we both got in on a music scholarship, which had us meet Jonathan because he was playing buckets on campus on orientation day, and his left stick broke and hit me in the head."
"But hey! If that didn't happen we wouldn't have become friends."
"And that is true. And we met River through that sick ass violin demonstration! Who met our little Zack by protecting him from those three wankers, which is still hot as fuck the way you took them out."
"She wanted to kill them."
"But I didn't Zack."
"Only because Timothy stopped you by picking you up."
"The way we were raised and the experiences we had, has brought us to this moment. Our moment right here. All of us together till Zack goes off for Christmas. How dare you do that."
"I'm going to see my family. The family who also doesn't know what I'm studying."
"What do you tell them?" Joe asked
"Just engineering."
"Why don't you actually take that up so it's more believable?" Vix asked
"Maybe I should. You could actually help with that." He told as he looked towards River.
"I do have a BA in it."
"This is what I'm talking about guys! This is who we are! Bouncing things off one another and love learning! Zack goes in multiple lectures and even found out Rivers in the same chemistry and humanities lectures!"
"I only found out because she went on a giant rant about the Mona Lisa in humanities." Zack stated
"It's famous for being stolen! The dude walked in, waited till night and walked out with it!"
"Wed twurdleneck!" The boys besides Zack said making her and him laugh.
She fell off the chair making them all see if she was ok only for them to start laughing, especially after Zack also fell off after her.
"Man. I love you guys." Tim told making me smile at that.
"I think it's safe to say we all love each other." Joe added
"I may also add, our bond and what we've done also help our music. Which helps make us.... well us."
"Could I also add that Timothy would be a great teacher to my assumption?" Zack asked as him and River sat back on the piano seat.
"Yes you can."
"The whole documentary thing strange Timothy." Joe told
"How?!"
"By the way your explaining how things make us who we are. River was kind before hand from what Daisy and Dic have told and showed us. If anything, what happened to her family could have broke her, not to forget her....."
"Jonathan I would really not like my family history on Timothys documentary. This is about us now in the present not what happened to us in the past in great detail."
"I think it will be a good way to look back. We get to see how we all thought of us during this time."
"See! Zacks got the right idea."
"Would also help if we played a song. Since we all share a love for it."
"River is correct. Also is apart of who we are."
"Well in that case. Zack, since you are abandoning us for Christmas. You can choose."
"Do you know how to play Winter Wonderland on the piano?"
"I do." She told before she began to play.

(River, Tim, Vix, Joe, Zack, all)

" Sleigh bells ring, are you listening?
In the lane, snow is glistening
A beautiful sight, we're happy tonight
Walking in a winter wonderland
Gone away, is the bluebird
Here to stay is a new bird
He sings a love song
As we go along walking in a winter wonderland
In the meadow we can build a snowman
Then pretend that he is Parson Brown
He'll say, "Are you married?"
We'll say, "No, man,
But you can do the job when you're in town."
Later on we'll conspire, as we dream by the fire
To face unafraid, the plans that we made
Walking in a winter wonderland
Over the ground lies a mantle of white
A heaven of diamonds shine down through the night
Two hearts are thrilling
In spite of the chilling weather
Love knows no season
Love knows no clime
Romance can blossom
Any old time
Here in the open
We're walkin' and hopin'
Together, together
Together, together
Sleigh Bells ring are you listening?
In the lane, snow is glistening
A beautiful sight we're happy tonight
Walking in a winter wonderland
Gone away is the bluebird
Here to say is a new bird
He's singing a love song
As we go along,
Walking in a winter wonderland
In the meadow, we can build a snowman
And pretend he's a circus clown
We'll have lots of fun with Mr. Snowman
Until the other kiddies knock him down
When it snows, ain't it thrillin'
Though your nose gets a chillin'
We'll frolic and play the Eskimo way
Walking in a winter wonderland
Walking in a winter wonderland
Winter wonder winter wonder land
Winter winter wonder wonder land "

The tape seemed to end after that, making me stop it and I turned to see River had begun to cry.
"River!" I exclaimed as I rushed to her side. "What's wrong?"
"Nothing. I just forgot about that. My first Christmas with the boys and Zacks family invited us to join them for Christmas. I guess I just miss seeing them. Also the fact I can't go see his family cause I can't travel. It's gonna be the first year I don't spend it with his family for 11 years and I guess it's just effecting me more then I had hoped."
"Your alone for Christmas?"
"No. The boys have decided to come back for Christmas. Except Zack since he can't get off work before hand, so he's going to spend it with his family. I'm fine sweetie."
"How about we head to bed?"
"Sounds great." She told before I gave her forehead a kiss.
I held her hand as I helped her to the room we shared when I stayed over.
'Who's Zack?'